Why not set our hearts afire?

Thursday in Charlotte, when President Barack Obama looks into the teleprompter, he will no doubt see more opportunity for our children, fairness to the middle class, a brighter future for America — and the gridlock gods will laugh. The House is already lost, in the grip of the GOP. Gerrymandering has seen to that. Any second term is now likely to be derailed. Thanks to redistricting, he must know the fix is in.

Yet no one wants to hear a president whine. He has to help us shake off the sense of paralysis. Give us back a sense there can be government by the people. Instead of fairness to the middle class, here’s what I’d like to hear — something that will set the numbest patriot heart afire — a speech with actions that match its words.

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“As we head into November, how many citizens will be on the sidelines, bystanders in this election? I mean all of you who live outside the 10 battleground states, where people are saturated with robocalls and attack ads. But tonight, that’s going to change.

“Because tonight, Vice President Joe Biden and I pledge to instruct all our electors to the Electoral College — in all states that cast their votes for us — to cast them for whomever wins the popular vote nationally. If the vice president and I win the national popular vote, they, of course, will vote for us. If it is Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, I will direct them to vote for that ticket — even in states the vice president and I have won.

“I ask Mr. Romney to do the same — make the pledge to turn this election back to the people.

“But whether or not he follows, I intend to lead. There will be no more hanging chads or court cases in Ohio or Florida — or the ignominy of having a president who came in second. No matter where you live, you will have a real vote in this election.”

Wait: Let’s stop the tape. Is this really the right time to shut down the Electoral College? To be sure, it would be worse than a scandal if in 2012 the “winner” came in second in the popular vote. With the tea party on one side, Occupy Wall Street on the other, this time you could possibly see mobs in the streets. Let’s say a closing prayer at each convention that nothing like this happens.

But if it doesn’t happen, then maybe the Electoral College is a good thing . Think of it as an unintended check on Citizens United. At least Obama and Biden don’t have to go up against super PACs in 50 states. Only in the 10 that matter. Perhaps enough cash can come in from the other 40 to make a race of it in the 10. If only those 10 are in play, how much money can it take? Even in America, there can be too much of too much, too many commercial interruptions of “The Colbert Report” and ”Wheel of Fortune.” If we can hem in all the super PACs, they may blow each other up.

Yet, for the health of our democracy, the Electoral College is a bigger disaster than ever. In the 10 battleground states, voters keep their phones off the hook while in the other 40, they never ring. Consider that most voters in those 40 will also be on the sidelines of the House elections, which, thanks to gerrymandering, are rigged.

It’s true, unlike super PACs, gerrymandering is an old-time political game. Because it is so old, it’s hard to see how much computers have raised the level of the game. It’s not our Founders’ gerrymandering — now, there is an app for it. There are also more ways to rig as we divide up a growing population — 100 or 300 million in the old game of musical chairs with the same 435 seats.